Featured Reviews

Domaines ‘La Grande Cote’ and ‘La Vigne au Roy’ Cremant de Bourgogne

10 April,2017

Veuve Ambal is a family business established in 1898
specialising in the production of Cremant de Bourgogne. Owning over 250 ha of vineyards in Burgundy,
the company operates six individual domaines and make wines to express the
different terroirs. Here I review two
wines; the Domaine de La Grande Cote
in the Chatillonnais to the north, near Champagne, with 41 ha, 26 ha to Pinot
Noir. 14 ha to Chardonnay and 1 ha to Aligote on hard limestone soil. There is also Domaine La Vigne au Roy, in the Hautes-Cotes de Buits, with 36 ha,
18 ha to Pinot Noir, 13 ha to Chardonnay, and 5 ha of Aligote on the Bevy
hillside. This domaine was instrumental
in the revival of the Cremant style.
Here, I review the wines from these two domaines. The wines are distributed in New Zealand by
Paul Wai Poi of CPP Wines, Tel: 09 360-2854

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Bright, full and even, light golden-hued yellow colour. The bead is very vine and positive in
persistence. The nose has full and
well-packed aromas of savoury yellow stonefruits suggesting Pinot Noir, along
with up-front yeasty autolysis, entwined with nutty and aldehyde suggestions a
soft bread and toast elements. This has
breadth and complexity. Dryish to taste
and medium-bodied, the palate has lusciously rich, concentrated flavours of
savoury yellow stonefruits melded with notes of nuts, yeast and bread, along
with complexing aldehyde detail. The
mouthfeel is refreshing with creamy effervescence and soft textures that blend
harmoniously with the fruit, Fine
textures and lively acidity carry the wine to a lingering, dry finish. This is a rich, savoury flavoured Cremant de
Bourgogne with yellow stonefruit flavours along with yeasty and nutty
complexities on a creamy, but refreshing palate. Serve as an aperitif, with canapes and
antipasto over the next 2 years. A blend
of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, fermented with MLF, and secondary
fermentation in bottle, the wine on lees for 22 months. This is 12.0% alc. and has 10 g/L
dosage. Lot 27273 AB 0216. 18.0+/20 Apr 2017 RRP $26.95

Domaine La Vigne au Roy Cremant de Bourgogne Brut NV

Sparkling Wine from France – Burgundy

18.5/20

Bright, even, straw-yellow colour with pale golden
hues. The bead is moderately wine with
some persistence. The nose is elegant
and refreshing with aromas of lifted white florals and stonefruits and
delicately balanced, but positive notes of yeast, nutty elements and
suggestions of bready autolysis. This is
elegance and finesse personified. Dryish
to taste and medium-bodied, this has a very finely concentrated palate with a
core of white stonefruits and florals with subtle yeasty and bready autolysis
elements. The palate is refreshing with
gently creamy mousse and textures cut by bright acidity. The palate is elegantly proportioned and
flows along a fine-textured flowery line leading to a mouthwatering finish of
white stonefruits. This is an elegant
and finely concentrated Cremany de Bourgogne with white stonefruit and florals,
soft textures, cutting acidity and length.
Serve as an aperitif over the next 2+ years. A blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir and
10% Aligote fermented with MLF, the second fermentation in bottle, the wine on
lees for 22 months. This is 12.0% alc.
and 10 g/L dosage. Lot
28765-RFB0814. 18.5/20 Apr 2017
RRP $26.95